Apparatus and method for securing soil reinforcing elements to earthen retaining wall components

Abstract

A soil reinforced structure comprised of superimposed courses of concrete blocks, at least some of which have rearward portions separable therefrom. Longitudinally extending soil reinforcing members extend around the separable rearward portions and are captured between the courses of blocks thereabove and therebelow. In one embodiment the blocks have bifurcated forward portions about which a cast in place concrete face may be formed. Another embodiment disposes courses of the blocks in opposed spaced relationship and extends the soil reinforcing members between the blocks to form a earthen fortress.

We claim as our invention: 
     
       1. An improved apparatus for securing a soil reinforcing mat having a longitudinal tension member to a face panel for an earthen formation, said apparatus comprising: (a) an upwardly facing shoulder extending from a rearwardly facing surface of the face panel, said shoulder having a support surface;   (b) a securing block separate from and extending transversely of the face panel, said block being supported on the shoulder and having surfaces disposed in apposition to the rearwardly facing surface of the face panel and the support surface of the shoulder;   (c) a portion of the tension member extending around the securing block so as to be disposed between the block, the rearwardly facing surface of the face panel, and the support surface of the shoulder and,   (d) a pin extending into aligned openings in the lower leg and the securing block to maintain the securing block in aligned condition on the lower leg.   
     
     
       2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the lower leg of the L-shaped block includes a turned-up distal edge spaced from the upright leg to define therewith a channel proportioned for receipt of the securing block. 
     
     
       3. An improved apparatus for securing a soil reinforcing mat having a longitudinal tension member to a face panel for an earthen formation, said apparatus comprising: (a) an upwardly facing shoulder extending from a rearwardly facing surface of the face panel, said shoulder having a support surface;   (b) a securing block separate from and extending transversely of the face panel, said block being supported on the shoulder and having surfaces disposed in apposition to the rearwardly facing surface of the face panel and the support surface of the shoulder;   (c) a portion of the tension member extending around the securing block so as to be disposed between the block, the rearwardly facing surface of the face panel, and the support surface of the shoulder; and,   (d) a downwardly facing shoulder extending rearwardly from the face panel in spaced relationship to the upwardly facing shoulder, said downwardly facing shoulder having an undersurface disposed above and in apposition to the securing block.   
     
     
       4. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the face panel corpises a lower block which provides the upwardly facing shoulder, and intermediate block supported on the lower block which provides the rearwardly facing surface, and an upper block supported on the intermediate block which provides the downwardly facing shoulder. 
     
     
       5. An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the face panel comprises: a) a first integral L-shaped block having a lower leg which provides the upwardly facing shoulder and an upright leg which provides the rearwardly facing surface; and,   b) a second integral L-shaped block stacked upon the first L-shaped block, said second block having a lower leg supported on the upright leg of the first block to provide the downwardly facing shoulder.   
     
     
       6. An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein a portion of the tension member extends around the securing block so as to be disposed between the securing block and the undersurface of the downwardly facing shoulder. 
     
     
       7. An apparatus for securing a longitudinal tension member of a geotextile soil reinforcing mat to a panel disposed at the face of an earthen formation, said apparatus comprising: a) an anchor element fixed to and extending rearwardly from the panel;   b) a securing block separate from and extending transversely of the panel, said block being held to the anchor element and having a surface disposed in apposition to the rearwardly facing surface of the panel; and,   c) a portion of the tension member extending around the securing block so as to be held between the block and the rearwardly facing surface of the panel.   
     
     
       8. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein: (a) the anchor element comprises an upwardly facing shoulder extending rearwardly from the panel, said shoulder having a support surface; and,   (b) the securing block is supported on the support surface of the shoulder whereby the tension member is held between the block and shoulder.   
     
     
       9. An improved combination for constructing a soil reinforced retaining wall having a cast in place face surface, said combination comprising: a) alternate courses of concrete blocks comprised of integral front and rear portions with the front portions being of an open bifurcated configuration;   b) intermediate courses of concrete blocks disposed between the alternate courses of blocks, said intermediate courses being comprised of front portions of an open bifurcated configuration and rear portions separable from the front portions; and,   c) soil reinforcing tension members extending around at least some of the rear portions of the intermediate courses so as to be disposed between the rear portions of the alternate courses.   
     
     
       10. An improved soil reinforced retaining wall having a cast in place face surface, said wall comprising: a) a foundation footer having rebars extending upwardly therefrom;   b) alternate courses of concrete blocks supported on and above said footer and comprised of integral front and rear portions with the front portions being of an open bifurcated configuration having the rebars extending therethrough;   c) intermediate courses of concrete blocks disposed between the alternate courses of blocks, said intermediate courses being comprised of front portions of an open bifurcated configuration having the rebars extending therethrough and rear portions separable from the front portions;   d) soil reinforcing tension members extending around at least some of the rear portions of the intermediate courses so as to be disposed between the rear portions of the alternate courses; and,   e) a concrete face cast in place over and within the front portions of the alternate and intermediate courses of blocks and around the rebars extending therethrough.   
     
     
       11. A fortress comprising: (a) alternate courses of concrete blocks comprised of integral front and rear portions;   (b) intermediate courses of concrete blocks disposed between the alternate courses of blocks, said intermediate courses being comprised of front portions disposed between the front portions of the blocks of the alternate courses and rear portions separable from the front portions thereof disposed between the rear portions of the blocks of the alternate courses; and,   (c) soil reinforcing tension members extending around at least some of the rear portions of the blocks of the intermediate courses so as to be captured between front and rear portions of blocks in certain of the intermediate courses and the rear portions of the blocks in alternate courses to either side thereof.   
     
     
       12. A fortress comprising: (a) spaced walls each comprising: (1) alternate courses of concrete blocks comprised of integral front and rear portions; and,   (2) intermediate courses of concrete blocks disposed between the alternate courses of blocks, said intermediate courses being comprised of front portions disposed between the front portions of the blocks of the alternate courses and rear portions separable from the front portions thereof disposed between the rear portions of the blocks of the alternate courses;     (b) soil reinforcing tension members extending between the spaced walls to tie the walls together said tension members being connected to the walls by extending the members around at least some of the rear portions of the blocks of the intermediate courses in the walls so as to capture the members between front and rear portions of blocks in certain of the intermediate courses and the rear portions of the blocks in alternate courses to either side thereof; and,   (c) fill contained between the spaced walls and around the soil reinforcing tension members.   
     
     
       13. A method of constructing a soil reinforced earthen retaining wall, said method comprising: (a) providing alternate courses of concrete blocks comprised of integral front and rear portions;   (b) providing intermediate courses of concrete blocks disposed between the alternate courses of blocks, said intermediate courses being comprised of front portions disposed between the front portions of the blocks of the alternate courses and rear portions separable from the front portions thereof disposed between the rear portions of the blocks of the alternate courses;   (c) extending soil reinforcing tension members around at least some of the rear portions of the blocks of the intermediate courses so as to capture the members between front and rear portions of the blocks in certain of the intermediate courses and the rear portions of the blocks in alternate courses to either side thereof; and,   (d) backfilling soil around the soil reinforcing tension members.   
     
     
       14. A method of constructing an earthen fortress comprising: (a) providing spaced walls each comprising: (1) alternate courses of concrete blocks comprised of integral front and rear portions; and,   (2) intermediate courses of concrete blocks disposed between the alternate courses of blocks, said intermediate courses being comprised of front portions disposed between the front portions of the blocks of the alternate courses and rear portions separable from the front portions thereof disposed between the rear portions of the blocks of the alternate courses;     (b) tying the spaced walls together by extending soil reinforcing tension members therebetween, said tension members being connected to the walls by extending the members around at least some of the rear portions of the blocks of the intermediate courses in the walls so as to capture the members between front and rear portions of the blocks in certain of the intermediate courses and rear portions of the blocks in alternate courses to either said thereof; and,   (c) filling soil between the spaced walls and around the soil reinforcing tension members.   
     
     
       15. A method of constructing a soil reinforced retaining wall having a cast in place face surface, said method comprising: a) providing a foundation footer having rebars extending upwardly therefrom;   b) supporting alternate courses of concrete blocks on and above said footer, said alternate courses being comprised of integral front and rear portions with the front portions being of an open bifurcated configuration having the rebars extending therethrough;   c) disposing intermediate courses of concrete blocks between the alternate courses of blocks, said intermediate courses being comprised of front portions of an open bifurcated configuration having the rebars extending therethrough and rear portions separable from the front portions;   d) extending soil reinforcing tension members around at least some of the rear portions of the intermediate courses; and,   e) casting a concrete face in place over and within the front portions of the alternate and intermediate courses of blocks and around the rebars extending therethrough.   
     
     
       16. A soil reinforced structure comprising: (a) superimposed courses of concrete blocks, at least some of which are of an L-shaped cross section having lower legs and have rearward portions separable therefrom resting on the lower legs;   (b) longitudinally extending soil reinforcing members extending around the separable rearward portions between the courses of blocks thereabove and therebelow;   (c) soil backfilled around the soil reinforcing members; and,   (d) pins extending into aligned openings in the lower legs and the separable rearward portions resting thereon to maintain the separable rearward portions in aligned condition on the lower legs.   
     
     
       17. A structure according to claim 16 wherein the lower legs of successive courses of blocks define therebetween a space for receipt of the separable rearward portions. 
     
     
       18. A structure according to claim 16 further comprising turned-up distal edges on the lower legs to define channels for receipt of the separable rearward portions.